Incendio

Chapter 11: A New Space

The first day of classes had been unnecessarily brutal. Binns in History of Magic had been incredibly dull and gave a large amount of homework. Snape expected them to make a potion well beyond Samantha's skill level. Her draft of peace had actually melted through the vial she was supposed to turn into Snape. Ancient Runes expected a three page essay by the next week. Then there was Defense Against The Dark Arts. It had been particularly interesting, but not interesting in a way one would expect.

 The newest Professor, Professor Umbridge had made quite the impression on all faculty and students. The impression, it seemed, started during the Great Feast when she made a cryptic speech no one could really understand while wearing the most hideous shade of pink. Everyone quickly figured out that she was a Ministry lady and that she was probably there to spy on Dumbledore. She started off her first class by having everyone put their wands away and instead, spend their lesson reading a book Samantha was sure had been intended for first years. It had been interrupted at first by Hermione asking several questions about Professor Umbridge's methods. It then continued with many of Samantha's classmates asking similar questions. Samantha decided it was best to stay quiet for the moment, but instead wrote down everything that happened. The whole ordeal ended with Potter actually getting into a full on shouting match with the Professor.

After Harry was asked to leave the class, Samantha hid her notebook back into her bag. After class was over it was all anyone could talk about. Samantha knew what she believed, but she was fascinated by the different opinions around her. She wrote all of the rumors she heard.

After dinner, she decided to forget it all and go straight to her Hogwarts Gazette meeting.

Everyone in the Gazette had congregated in front of McGonagall's office.

"Is it true Sam?" Colin asked as she approached. He'd gotten slightly taller over the Summer, but not by much. "Did Potter really shout at Umbridge during class?"

Daphne and Marietta exchanged looks and Samantha knew immediately what they thought about it all. Ernie instead looked earnestly at Samantha as if hoping for more details.

Samantha shushed Colin quickly but held up her notebook. "I'll tell you later. Why has no one gone into the classroom?"

"Professor McGonagall said we were to wait here for our surprise." Daphne responded, her hair had grown slightly in the last year and she looked a right bit prettier and taller.

"Oh alright." Samantha said as Neville and Ginny joined them.

"I like your hair Samantha, did you change it over the summer?" Daphne asked.

Samantha nodded a little, she'd finally let her mother give it a small trim and some layers. She'd also decided to stop wearing her favorite two tails, she wanted to seem more mature this year. "Yeah." Samantha smiled, happy that anyone noticed at all.

McGonagall soon joined them outside of her classroom. "Please, follow me." She said leading them away from the Transfiguration Classroom and down a different hallway. At the end of the hallway was a door that everyone knew was one of Filch's Closets, where he kept confiscated items.

McGonagall stopped them in front of the door. "Now Mr. Filch has generously cleaned out one of his closets to be of better use to students." Her eyebrows raised on the word 'generous' and everyone knew Filch hadn't consensually given up squat.

As they entered the room everyone gasped. There was a big round table, with enough chairs for everyone and a real magical printing press. On the walls were pasted their old Gazette issues and there was plenty of unused parchment and Quills.

Samantha's heart was beating faster than ever. An actual space for them to really get the Gazette to where it needed to be. McGonagall had shown Samantha how to transfigure newspaper copies and this meant she really did trust her to do the paper's basic distribution herself.